Carter nodded. “The cartel has been dismantled. We owe him more than I can say. Without his bravery, this would’ve taken decades longer.”
A mix of relief and anger surged through me. I turned to Michael, tears streaming down my face. “You should’ve come home sooner.”
“I couldn’t,” he whispered, his voice cracking. “I couldn’t risk you.”
Carter stepped back, giving us a moment. Michael reached for my hand, his touch familiar yet changed. “Clara, I never stopped loving you. Not for one moment.”
I squeezed his hand, my heart aching with both joy and sorrow. “You’re home now, Michael. That’s all that matters.”
The station’s noise faded as we sat together, holding onto each other like we never would let go again.
Michael and I walked hand in hand down the quiet street that evening. The air was cool, the sky was streaked with the colors of dusk.
I felt a sense of peace for the first time in 40 years.
I looked at Michael, the man I had loved for so long, through every doubt and every tear. “We’ll figure it out,” I said.
He squeezed my hand. “Together.”
The past was behind us. Though the future was uncertain, it was ours to create.
This work is inspired by real events and people, but it has been fictionalized for creative purposes. Names, characters, and details have been changed to protect privacy and enhance the narrative. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, or actual events is purely coincidental and not intended by the author.
The author and publisher make no claims to the accuracy of events or the portrayal of characters and are not liable for any misinterpretation. This story is provided “as is,” and any opinions expressed are those of the characters and do not reflect the views of the author or publisher.
